New Zealand stars Kane Williamson, Devon Conway, Finn Allen, Lockie Ferguson, and Tim Seifert have signed casual playing contracts with New Zealand Cricket (NZC) for the 2025-26 season. These agreements allow them to represent New Zealand while also playing in overseas leagues.
None of the five players were included in NZC’s list of 20 central contracts announced in June, but they will remain committed to the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Explaining the move, NZC chief executive officer Scott Weenink said, “With such a pinnacle event on the horizon we wanted to ensure our best T20 players were ready and available to push for inclusion.” He added, “The casual agreements are a commitment from the players to NZC and the Black Caps, and in return NZC will offer our full support to these players as part of our high-performance system.”
Williamson will skip the three-match T20 series against Australia, scheduled from October 1-4 in Mount Maunganui, but has confirmed that he will play in the upcoming T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka next February and March. NZC made this decision to manage his workload. Allen, meanwhile, has also confirmed he will miss the Australia series as he continues to recover from foot surgery.
Conway, Ferguson, and Seifert are expected to feature in both international cricket and overseas leagues. The flexibility of the casual contracts allows them to participate in tournaments such as the Big Bash League, which clashes with New Zealand’s Super Smash.
Women’s captain Sophie Devine has also signed a similar agreement. She has announced plans to retire from ODIs after the World Cup in India but will remain available for T20 internationals.
New Zealand’s squad for the Australia T20I series will be announced later this week.
For latest sports updates: Follow RevSportz